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Gus Clemens

Gus Clemens

@gusclemensonwine.bsky.social

11 followers 2 following 240 posts

Gus Clemens on Wine explores and explains wine in an easy-to-read, humorous style. Search "gusclemensonwine" on Perplexity for more information. Substack: https://gusclemens.substack.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 10h

Brassfield Estate Winery Pinot Noir, High Valley Appellation 2022—compelling high elevation, cool-climate, fruit-forward. Elegant, clean, lean structure. Stylish presentation of High Valley AVA fruit punches above its affordable price point. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Brassfield Estate Winery Pinot Noir, High Valley Appellation 2022

Elegant, clean, lean structure

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 3d

Gabriel Meffre “Saint-Nicolas” Côtes du Rhône 2023—Unoaked, full malolactic conversion generously presents darker fruit with amiable tannins and acidity. Honest, well-crafted. Easy on palate and pocketbook. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Gabriel Meffre “Saint-Nicolas” Côtes du Rhône 2023

Elegant, tasty wine at a reasonable price

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 4d

Goose Ridge Vineyards g3 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 2023—Splits difference between unoaked chard and over-the-top fruit-butter-oak styles. Fans of both could find something to enjoy. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Goose Ridge Vineyards g3 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 2023

Splits difference between unoaked chard and over-the-top fruit-butter-oak styles

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 6d

Funckenhausen Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2022—simple, straightforward value buy—and nicely fills that niche. You get dark fruits and reserved tannins and acidity. Inoffensive effort, a notch above supermarket boxed cab and comes in one-liter bottle. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Funckenhausen Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2022

Definitely works as a second bottle or as party pour

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 8d

Bernardus Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County 2023—fruit-forward expression of pure cool-climate Santa Lucia Highlands PN. Clean, fresh, refined, harmonious marriage of structure, elegance with emphasis on fruit rather than oak or alcohol. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Bernardus Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County 2023

Fruit-forward expression of pure cool-climate Santa Lucia Highlands pinot noir

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 9d

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2020—outstanding high-end Napa cab with black fruit deliciousness, depth, and ageability. Just entering its drinking window in 2025, decant or hold for next couple of years. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 10d

Chemistry Pinot Noir, Oregon 2023—Textbook expression of Oregon PN, punches well above it modest—for this quality—price point. Chemistry promises minimal intervention to showcase the region’s excellent fruit. This more than delivers on that promise. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Chemistry Pinot Noir, Oregon 2023

Textbook expression of Oregon pinot noir, punches well above it modest—for this quality—price point.

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 11d

La Crema Pinot Gris, Monterey 2021—baked apple, Meyer lemon, tropical fruit framed by sleek, mouth-watering acidity. Candied ginger, sea spray minerality support finish. Ripe fruitiness, time on lees stirs in illusion of sweetness, admirable complexity. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

La Crema Pinot Gris, Monterey 2021

Admirable complexity at this price point

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 13d

McGrail Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley 2020—richness, black fruit, full body, polished, long supple finish, powerhouse from testy 2020 vintage. Good structure, complexity, dark fruit parade. Well priced for wine of this caliber. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

McGrail Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley 2020

Well priced for a wine of this caliber

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 15d

Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, Cape Coast, South Africa 2024—zesty, bright, balanced, smooth, touch of salinity, touch of honey and greengage plum in a sophisticated blend of Old World complexity and reserve and New World texture and body. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, Cape Coast, South Africa 2024

Sophisticated blend of Old World complexity and reserve and New World texture and body

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 16d

Yatir Darom by Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon, Judea 2023—rich, polished, fruit-forward effort with concentrated flavors, rich mouthfeel, amiable tannins and acidity. Over-delivers for the price. Made in southern Israel near the Negev Desert. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Yatir Darom by Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon, Judea 2023

Made in southern Israel near the Negev Desert

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 18d

Tannins explained 10-8-2025—Tannins are natural and essential to wine. They also are wine’s most misunderstood element. Even wine scientists admit they do not fully understand tannins. One expert called tannins a “chemical train wreck.” Let’s explore. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Tannins explained 10-8-2025

What are they, why are they, what do they do?

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 20d

Corvée Metodo Classico Brut Trento DOC NV—combines versatility, elegance, showcases high quality, high elevation sparkling wine at a fraction of the price of Champagne. Rich, persistent flavors; impressive balance; creamy mouthfeel with bright acidity. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Corvée Metodo Classico Brut Trento DOC NV

Combines versatility and elegance to showcase high quality, high elevation sparkling

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 22d

Domaine Lumineux Pinot Noir Cuvée, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021—delicious, delightful, smooth, tasty Willamette Valley pinot noir showcases red fruit and accessibility. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Domaine Lumineux Pinot Noir Cuvée, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021

Showcases red fruit and accessibility

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 25d

Symington Quinta do Vesuvio Pombal do Vesuvio, Douro 2022—sleek, black-fruit-delicious effort from the dominant maker in the Douro Valley. Delivers complexity and depth at reasonable price point—a signature of Portuguese wine. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Symington Quinta do Vesuvio Pombal do Vesuvio, Douro 2022

Complexity and depth at reasonable price point

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 28d

Portlandia Pinot Noir Oregon 2022—Admirable nuance, refinement for value pinot, another example of how well Oregon—and Portlandia—does PN. It is lighter, more delicate than the standard California pinot noir—certainly for CA efforts at this price point open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Portlandia Pinot Noir Oregon 2022

Admirable nuance and refinement for a value pinot noir

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 29d

Sealionne Wines Kilig Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge AVA 2022—lovely, restrained, elegant, sophisticated effort from top vineyard in Ribbon Ridge AVA. Oregon pinot royalty. Excellent fruit, light-medium body, restrained alcohol all work to make this a delight. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Sealionne Wines Kilig Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge AVA 2022

Lovely, restrained, elegant, sophisticated effort

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 26

Ironstone Vineyards Obsession Symphony 2023—off-dry celebration of the symphony grape developed by UC-Davis in 1948. Very aromatic with brisk acidity to balance is slight sweetness. Light and refreshing. Fun sipper. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Ironstone Vineyards Obsession Symphony 2023

Have you ever sipped wine made with symphony grape?

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 23

Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC 2022—big aromatics, vivid fruitiness, saline-minerality, excellent texture. Balanced, delicious, checks all white wine boxes. Sea-salty finish particularly entertaining. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC 2022

Big aromatics, vivid fruitiness, saline-minerality, excellent texture

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 22

Rex Hill Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022—delivers usual pinot noir flavors, raspberry and cherry, then pitches in cranberry and tartness that bodes well for food pairing and adds unexpected drama. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Rex Hill Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022

Interesting pinot with a twist

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 21

Stewart Cellars Tartan Napa Valley Red Wine 2021—depth, complexity from outstanding vintage. Dark fruits dominate rich, full initial attack through finish. Stewart aims to consistently offer wine that exceeds expectations, this effort succeeds. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Stewart Cellars Tartan Napa Valley Red Wine 2021

Depth and complexity from an outstanding Napa vintage

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 20

Ernesto Catena Vineyards Ánimal Natural Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2023—balances lean structure, rustic and gamey notes, palate weight, and concentrated dark fruits. Rich, delicious, good value from scion of Argentine wine’s over-achievers. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Ernesto Catena Vineyards Ánimal Natural Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2023

Wine as an artistic expression from the famed Catena wine family of Argentina

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 18

LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards Thirty Eight Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Jahant AVA, Lodi 2020—concentrated fruit, fine tannins, fresh acidity, significant but not overdone oak. Made by German-American family that has farmed in Lodi since 1870s. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 17

Controversial wine review terms—Three commonly used terms in wine reviews that cause controversy—OK, more than three, but today we are going to focus on “round,” “minerality,” and “masculine-feminine.” I will present my take on and use of the terms. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Controversial wine review terms 9-16-2025

Three wine metaphors fraught with controversy

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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 16

Villa Chven Aleksandrouli Red Wine, Georgia 2022—lush, supple, delicious, mild tannins pure expression of aleksandrouli grape from part of the world where winemaking began. Good depth, smooth, refined texture. Comparable to Willamette pinot noir. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Villa Chven Aleksandrouli Red Wine, Georgia 2022

Pure expression of aleksandrouli grape from where winemaking began

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